All of the Commencement Speeches Oprah Has Given Over the Years

Over the past few decades, Oprah has given an astounding number of graduation speeches at various schools, big and small. But this year, with many in-person graduations cancelled due to coronavirus, Oprah didn't give a speech to just one university. Instead, Lady O delivered a online commencement address that streamed live on Facebook, so that every 2020 senior could partake in at least the semblance of this time-honored graduation tradition. At the virtual event, Lady O asked the Class of 2020: "What will your essential service be?"

Though this was Oprah's first virtual graduation speech, it's far from her first inspirational address to graduate. From 1987 at her alma mater Tennessee State University, to her 2012 speech to the inaugural graduating class at Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, to her 2013 Harvard address, our O of O has been delivering commencement wisdom for decades.

Below, check out all the knowledge and life lessons the O of O has dispensed over the years.

2020: Virtual Commencement Address on Facebook

Although coronavirus led to in-person graduations being cancelled across the country, the Class of 2020 got to hear Oprah deliver a live-streamed commencement address. "My hope is that you will harness your education, your creativity, your valor, your voice, your vote...." Lady O said, "and use it to create more equity, more justice, and more joy in the world."

2019: Colorado College

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2018: USC Annenberg

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The lucky Class of 2018 of University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism heard from Oprah on their graduation day. One of Lady O's daughter-girls was part of the graduating class. During her speech, she told the over 900 graduates to trust their gut: "I hope you shake things up and when the time comes to bet on yourself, I hope you double down."

2017: Agnes Scott College

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Oprah was the commencement speaker at Agnes Scott College's 128th Commencement ceremony, held on May 13, 2017. She received an honorary degree and shared her wisdom with the over 200 graduates—including one of Oprah's very own daughter-girls. "The struggle is real out there," advised the O of O. "But I'm betting on you, Agnes Scott women, I'm betting on you."

2017: Skidmore College

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One of Oprah's daughter-girl graduated as part of Skidmore College's Class of 2017, and Lady O delivered the commencement address. In her speech, Oprah talked about her dream for the graduates: "Being able to make the right choice based upon what is the truth of you, is the dream and prayer I hold for you today. Because being able to do that has led me to this stage and many other stages throughout the world."

2017: Smith College

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Oprah talked about her "secret to success" in her 2017 commencement speech to Smith College graduates. "I told my producers, I will only do shows that are in alignment with my truth," Lady O recalled a moment in her TV career. "I will not allow myself to be put in a chair talking to somebody who I am not aligned in someway that I can present myself in truth. I will not fake it."

2016—Johnson C. Smith University

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Oprah addressed the graduating class in North Carolina on May 25, 2016. In the audience were two of Oprah's daughter-girls, members of the JCSU Class of 2016. "You can't pay the crown forward unless you know who you are, where you come from and the sacrifice—the true sacrifice—and hope and tears and struggle that went into making you who you are. Because you didn't do it alone," Oprah reminded the graduates. "At no point in my rise, in my career, did I ever think that anything that was happening was happening just because of me."

2013–Harvard College

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At Harvard's 362nd Commencement on May 30, 2013, Oprah received an honorary doctorate degree and gave a commencement speech to the graduating class. "Not too many little girls from rural Mississippi have made it all the way here to Cambridge," Lady O started off her speech. "My one hope today is that I can be a source of some inspiration."

2012—Spelman College

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"As I stand before you, I see the reflection of myself in your eyes," Oprah said in her 2012 commencement speech to the 125th graduating class at Spelman College. "I feel in the rhythm of your heartbeat my own, I feel your desire, I feel your yearning to do well and be well in the world. I congratulate and celebrate you."

2012—Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy For Girls

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While Oprah speaks at every commencement ceremony at the school she founded in South Africa, 2012 was a special year: 72 girls graduated in the inaugural class of OWLAG. "As you move into the world I would just hope that you would know that you are smart—not just smart—brilliant inside and out," Oprah said to the OWLAG girls. "I have never been more proud to know, to grow, and to call myself Mom Oprah to you girls. I am one proud mama today."

2009—Duke University

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Gayle's favorite son Will Bumpus, godson to Oprah, was part of the Duke Class of 2009, and in honor of his graduation, Lady O delivered the commencement address. "One of the things I've learned is that the best way to enhance your own life is to contribute to somebody else's," said Oprah.

2008—Stanford University

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Gayle's favorite daughter Kirby Bumpus, goddaughter to Oprah, graduated with Stanford's Class of 2008, and Lady O was on hand to deliver the commencement speech. "When you're doing the work you're meant to do it feels right and everyday is a bonus regardless of what you're getting paid," Oprah told the graduates. "And how do you know when you're doing something right? How do you know that? It feels so. What I know now is that feelings are really your GPS system for life."

2007–Howard University

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"Here are a few things that I want you to know, that I know for sure," Oprah shared with the 2007 graduating class at Howard. "Don't be afraid. All you have to know is who you are because there is no such thing as failure. What other people label or might try to call failure I have learned is just God's way of pointing you in a new direction."

2006—Bennett College For Women

According to reports, Oprah attended and spoke at a Bennett College gala in 2006, introduced by poet Maya Angelou, who was a member of the school's board of trustees at the time.

2004—Greenwich Academy

Wearing a white dress, Oprah spoke at Greenwich Academy's May 27, 2004 commencement ceremony. Among the high school graduates? Her goddaughter, Kirby Bumpus.

2001—Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management

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Oprah was in Evanston, Illinois where she addressed the graduating class of Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

2001—The Young Women's Leadership School

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Attending another graduation in June of 2001, Oprah also spoke during a commencement ceremony for seniors graduating from The Young Women's Leadership School in New York City.

1998—Wesleyan

Oprah's niece graduated with the Wesleyan Class of 1998, and she was on hand to deliver a special commencement speech. "There will be difficult times, some people call them failures, I don't believe in failures. There have been times in my life where I've felt absolutely devastated," Oprah said. "Mistakes happen in your life to bring into focus more clearly who you really are." View her whole speech here.

1997—Wellesley College

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Stedman's daughter, Wendy, graduated in the Wellesley College Class of 1997, and Oprah was there to give the Commencement address. "You will survive everything if you can live your life from the point of view of truth," Oprah advised in her speech. "That took me a while to get, pretending to be something I wasn't, wanting to be somebody I couldn't, but understanding deep inside myself when I was willing to listen, that my own truth and only my own truth could set me free."

1987—Tennessee State University

Oprah was one credit short of getting her degree from Tennessee State University and didn't graduate with her class in 1975. "So in 1987, Tennessee State University invited me back to speak at their commencement. By then I had my own show, was nationally syndicated, I had made a movie, I had been nominated for an Oscar, and founded my company Harpo," Oprah recalled in a later commencement speech. "I told them I cannot go and give a speech unless I can earn one more credit because my dad's still saying I'm not going to get anywhere without that degree. So I finished my coursework, I turned in my final paper and I got the degree. And my dad was very proud and I know that if anything happens that one credit will be my salvation."

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